Chapter 9: Arrow to Arrow
Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, but the storyline is mine.
Author's Note: Whoa…second chapter in less than a week. I'm on a roll! Just a note, don't let this pace fool you…I'm just on break for a week, so I'm trying to move things along a bit. ;) And in a recent review someone expressed some confusion with the storyline… and yes I know a few things are unclear right now, but I'm working up to exposing all the secrets. : ) I promise, any confusion will cleared up soon, but I don't want things to happen to quickly or it ruins the climax of the story. But yes, pleaseeeeeeeeeee if you have any questions, feel free to post them or email them to me. I'll do my best to make things flow as best as possible. Please review! I love hearing feedback, so anything you have to say will be of help. (Note: that doesn't include retarded flames that have no sort of constructive commentary. K? k.) Thanks for reading! azami
Last time: Kagura watched the miko travel through the forest, obviously searching for a sign of Inuyasha and Kagome. What Kikyo didn't know was that Inuyasha and Kagome would not be found anywhere in the forest…let alone in the feudal era. Though the miko was aware of the fact that Kagome was not of this time, she still did not fully know of who and what Kagome was. Kagura knew something far more than Kikyo or Naraku could ever know…and that simply came from watching Kagome and Inuyasha together. True…Kagome was Kikyo's incarnation…following much of the same path as Kikyo had…however…there was something far more powerful that welled inside of Kagome…and it wasn't simply that the girl was a powerful miko…the guardian of the Shikon no Tama…but the identity of Kagome's father was the key to the entire equation.
"The powers that be will rein again, Naraku," she whispered to herself. "You will be destroyed…and I will be free."
Inuyasha and Kagome returned to the Feudal Era the next morning, and went to share their news with their friends. The soon-to-be wed couple came back to find a surprise of their own. On the way into the campsite, Kagome and Inuyasha could be heard arguing, though it wasn't one of their usual arguments. On the way back from the well, Kagome had been trying to convince Inuyasha that wearing a suit to their wedding in the modern era wasn't too much for her to ask of him. The hanyou obviously disagreed.
"I ain't gonna go dressin' up in some monkey suit just so all those people can gawk at me! NO WAY!" he grumbled, letting his intended mate down from his back. Kagome huffed, crossing her arms over her chest.
"Oh for Kami's sake! You can be such a jerk sometimes!" Kagome shouted at him.
"Yeah, well at least I don't tryin to dress you up in some stupid outfit and try to parade you around!" he shouted back at her.
Infuriated, Kagome felt the vein in her head throb, and her teeth grinding together in her mouth. Clenching her fists, she glared at him angrily, "Inuyasha…" The hanyou gulped, knowing was coming next, but he was saved by Shippo running toward them, followed by Sango and Miroku.
"Kagome! You're back!" Shippo exclaimed, jumping into her arms. "We were worried cuz we didn't know what happened to you guys."
Kagome giggled, "We're fine, Shippo. But thanks for worrying." She hugged him tightly and the kitsune readily returned her hug.
"Well, Kirara and I were worried at least. Some OTHER people were too busy to notice!" Shippo said, crossing his arms over his chest, and sticking his nose up in the air indignantly.
"Shippo! You stop that!" Sango scolded, putting her hands on her hips.
"Well, its true! You guys left us all alone!" Shippo shot back. "They've been too busy bein' all lovey-dovey and stuff. Gross!"
Kagome giggled again, and winked knowingly at Sango. The demon slayer blushed, clasping her hands in front of her. "Now, Shippo, you know you're not supposed to go talking about your friends like that!" she said, adding a firm tone to her voice. The kit looked down at his hands, and frowned.
"I'm sorry, Sango and Miroku. I just get lonely! I'm just a little kid, ya know!" he said, his voice carrying a bit of a whine. Sango smiled, "It's ok, Shippo. I know we haven't been around all that much since….hey, wait a second…." Sango suddenly realized that this was the first time since the previous day that she'd seen Kagome and Inuyasha. "Where have you two been?"
Kagome blushed slightly, and Inuyasha grinned. Normally, Inuyasha would've hidden any source of emotion (unless it had to do with his love of ramen), but this time, he was just too happy to hide it. He nudged Kagome, knowing that she'd want to be the one to deliver the news.
"We went to talk to my mom…..cuz….we're….well….we're gonna be mates!" Kagome exclaimed. Sango's face lit up and she rushed to hug her best friend.
Miroku grinned from ear to ear and offered his hand in congratulations to Inuyasha. "Well, Inuyasha, looks like we're both going to be family men, now." The hanyou eyed him questioningly, and both he and Kagome looked over to Sango, who was once again blushing.
"Sango!" Kagome gasped, "You guys are….? You're getting married!"
The demon slayer nodded shyly, the blush still full on her cheeks. "Uh huh…that's what happened yesterday…"
The girls squealed together, scaring the hell out of their significant others. They began to chatter about the ideas they had for their respective weddings, when Miroku suddenly realized that they had yet to tell Kagome of Kaede's visit to the campsite. Realizing that he had nary a hope of butting into the girls' conversation, he turned to Inuyasha.
"Something else happened yesterday, as well, Inuyasha. While Sango and I were off…well….talking…Shippo informed us that Kaede passed through the campsite in hopes of speaking to Kagome. She said that it was urgent," he said to the hanyou. Inuyasha's brow furrowed, contemplating that Miroku had just told him.
"Hmm… I wonder what it's all about. We better get back to her village to see what's up," he said, looking in the direction in which they needed to head. Inuyasha turned toward Kagome.
"Kagome, Miroku says that Kaede came around looking for you so we better get back to her village," he said, his arms crossed over his chest. She looked at him curiously, but simply nodded. The group then gathered their things and set off toward Kaede's village.
The girls walked ahead, along with Shippo, while Inuyasha and Miroku hung back a bit further. While the girls continued to chatter about their upcoming wedding plans, Miroku decided that it'd be a good time to inquire about Inuyasha's ideas for their meeting with Kagura. The monk cleared his throat, causing the hanyou's ears to perk.
"So….Inuyasha….have you thought about what it is that Kagura might be proposing?" he asked gingerly, looking straight ahead of him. Inuyasha shrugged, "Sure I've thought about it. All I know is that if she pulls something, she's goin down." He patted the Tetsaigua as he said that.
"Yes….well I believe that would be a necessary measure….however, I believe there is some sincerity in her attempt to join forces with us. Afterall, on many occasions…she has provided with us a sort of assistance," Miroku pointed out.
Inuyasha thought for a moment, but was still hesitant to believe that Kagura had any sort of good intentions. He shrugged, " I dunno…I'm still not buyin it."
Miroku turned his eyes downward, and sighed. "Do you not remember the night that Naraku first disappeared? The night in which your brother was almost consumed by Naraku? You were able to break his barrier and find entrance to the inside of his castle, but first you were met by Kagura. Even you remarked how she did not seem to be fighting at her usual potential. You, yourself, noted how her attacks came off as misaimed and sloppy. Do you think, perhaps, that she was attempting to provide you with the opportunity to destroy Naraku at that time?"
Inuyasha thought back to that night. It was true…Kagura had seemed as though she was just putting on a show for Naraku's insects, which acted as Naraku's eyes and ears. Was it possible that she was trying to assist Inuyasha by putting up a guise to fool Naraku?
Inuyasha shrugged again, " I guess we'll just have to see what happens. Regardless, I'm still gonna be on the watch for anything suspicious."
After they'd been walking for awhile, Inuyasha caught wind of a familiar scent. "Kikyo…," he growled. He charged up to Kagome, scooping her into his arms, bridal style, and bounded up into a nearby tree. "Inuyasha! What are you DOING?" she screamed as he bounded across the treetops.
"Quiet down, will ya! I can smell Kikyo's scent, and I don't want you anywhere that she can reach you!" he growled, finally settling in the top of a particularly tall, but well covered tree. He sent her down the thickest branch, and turned toward the direction that he'd come from.
"I'm going back to deal with her. I want you to stay here! You got it?" he said firmly, but without a trace of harshness to his tone.
Kagome nodded. The thrust forward and hugged him tightly. "Just be careful ok?" He nodded, and then took off back to where he'd sensed Kikyo. Upon his return the others looked to him in alarm.
"Inuyasha! What is it?" Sango called. The hanyou growled again, barring his teeth. "I can smell Kikyo. I'm gonna take care of this once and for all!" He took off in the direction he thought she might be. Sango turned to her demon-cat companion, "Kirara, take Shippo to Kagome. I think it's best if we don't leave her completely alone. Shippo, you take care of things ok?" The kit nodded firmly, wanting to do his part in helping his friends. "Right, Sango. Let's go Kirara." Kirara carried Shippo off in the direction of Kagome scent. Sango quickly changed into her demon slayer clothes, and donned her weapon, then taking off after Inuyasha. Miroku followed close behind.
When they found Inuyasha he was starring face to face with Kikyo. "I'm not gonna let you take Kagome from me, Kikyo!" he screamed. The dead miko had drawn her bow, and had an arrow pointed at the angry hanyou.
"You're so easily swayed, you filthy half-breed. That impish little wench turned your eyes so quickly, with her short little kimono fluttering in the breeze. And to think that she is supposed to be a copy of me," Kikyo laughed darkly, her bitter resentment seething from her words.
"Yeah, I have to agree with you there. It's pretty funny that she's supposed to be a copy of you, seeing as she's a thousand times the person you could ever be," Inuyasha growled contemptuously.
"How dare you! She is a pathetic excuse of a mortal. That girl is nothing more than a common harlot. You only think you love her because you cannot have me!" she retorted, her eyes growing narrow. "Now, die, you worthless traitor." With that she released an arrow at him, missing him narrowly. Inuyasha withdrew the Tetsaigua, bearing its crimson blade at Kikyo.
She formed a barrier around herself and released a second arrow at the hanyou, again missing him by mere inches. Inuyasha could do nothing but deflect her attempts, as he could not use the Tetsaigua on a mortal, dead or not. After some time of circling one another, Kikyo had the hanyou cornered against a thick of trees, making it hard for him to deflect her arrows.
"I thought you loved me Inuyasha….now I see that it was all a farce," Kikyo murmured, and become completely enveloped by the sacred aura, and released a final arrow, aimed for Inuyasha's heart. The hanyou was glued to the spot he stood, the sacred aura surrounding him. But just as the arrow was about to pierce Inuyasha's chest, a second arrow stopped it in this path.
Both Inuyasha and Kikyo looked on in alarm, searching the trees for the source of the second arrow. Standing tall on a high branch was Kagome, her bow already drawn with another arrow, point straight toward Kikyo.
Suddenly, Kirara appeared, sweeping Kagome down to the ground on her back. The young miko kept her bow drawn. "Don't even think about it, Kikyo. If you've got a problem with me, then keep it with me," Kagome said, in an unfamiliarly low, snarling tone.
"Kagome!" Inuyasha shouted, "Get back! Don't be stupid!"
Kagome kept her stare on Kikyo, not withdrawing her bow. "No way, Inuyasha! I'm not letting her hurt you!"
Kikyo hung her head, and stood unmoving for some time. The others watched on, unsure of what she was doing; however Kagome still kept her weapon drawn. Suddenly, the dead miko began to let the dark laugh escape from her lips once again. "You foolish little wench…you've already gotten in my way once, and here you are doing it again. Now, I will seek my vengance!" Suddenly she released an arrow, straight for Kagome.
"Kagome! NO!" Inuyasha screamed, thrusting himself into the path of the arrow, only the arrow did not get any farther than halfway to Kagome because at the very same moment, Kagome had shot an arrow.
The two sacred arrows were stopped mid-air, tip-to-tip, the sacred aura radiating around them. Suddenly, they imploded upon one another, sending a huge force upon all of them. Kagome was thrown back into a tree, hitting it with a hard thud. Her body crumbled to the ground, leaving her unconscious.
"Kagome!" Inuyasha shouted, panicked. He rushed to Kagome and took her into her arms. Kikyo had already begun to ascend in to the air amongst her soul collectors. "You're gonna pay for this, bitch!" he screamed at Kikyo. The dead miko disappeared into the air, vanishing from site.
Inuyasha cradled the young miko in his arms. "Kagome…c'mon…wake up, dammit!" Her breathing was ragged and shallow, and her heart beat had slowed to a faint thump. In an instant, he scooped her up in his arms, and turned toward the others. "I'm taking her to Kaede," he said, and then bounded off in the direction to Kaede's village.
"Kirara!" Sango called to her companion, and the demon cat carried the others off, following Inuyasha. When they reached the village, Inuyasha was nowhere in site. He'd already taken Kagome into Kaede's hut, where Kaede worked quickly to stabilize Kagome. Sango and Miroku ran to the hut, worried for their friend.
"She's gonna be alright isn't she?" Inuyasha barked, the panic in his voice overriding any sounds of anger.
"Inuyasha, ye must tell me what happened exactly," Kaede said calmly, knowing that the hanyou was impatient out of concern for his love.
"I don't know! Kikyo fired and arrow at Kagome, and Kagome fired one back and they met in the middle and there was a bright flash of light and they exploded or something!" he said, rushing to give her the details.
"Oh my…this is most unfortunate…" Kaede murmured. Her eyes filled with something that Inuyasha had never seen before. She almost looked….defeated.
"What the hell are you saying, you old hag! Do something!" he screamed. Inuyasha rushed to the mat that Kagome laid on, taking her into his arms, rocking back and forth gently. "C'mon Kagome…don't do this to me…don't leave me…" he murmured.
Then, unable to sustain the suspense, Sango entered. "Kaede…what's going on? Is Kagome alright?" The old miko turned to Sango, sadly shaking her head. "No, childe, she is not. When a miko uses the sacred arrow as an attack on another miko, the results are disastrous. In most cases, Kagome would be dead upon the instant the forces met, but because Kikyo is not of this earth any longer, the force may not have been as powerful; however, Kagome is currently in a very fragile state. I cannot tell you the fate that befalls her now."
Sango felt her knees grow weak, causing her to fall off-balance. Miroku was quick to catch her, pulling her up to him, holding her tightly. "Kaede, surely there is something that can be done," he asked.
The old miko nodded, "Yes, we can pray. Ye all must pray for Kagome's strength. That is all we can hope for at this time."
Inside of Kagome's mind….
Kagome felt herself drifting into an endless void, nothing surrounding her but a dark abyss. The moment that the arrows met, she had begun to feel as though her entire spirit was rupturing, as if trying to escape from her physical body. She found herself in the mist of every emotion that had ever passed through her, and her mind drifted to a scene.
Inuyasha was standing, starring at the well. "Kagome….," he whispered, a tear streaming from his eye. "Inuyasha!" she called, running to him. As she ran to him, Kaede, approached the well, performing a sort of incantation. When she was through, she raised her head and turned to the hanyou. "It is sealed." The old miko then began to walk away, shaking her head sadly.
Once alone, Inuyasha burst into heavy sobs, collapsing onto the rim of the well. "Kagome…why did you leave me?" Kagome slowed her run, stopping beside Inuyasha. "Inuyasha! I'm right here!" She dropped to her knees, attempting to take the grieving hanyou into her arms, but her arms went right through his form. Kagome gasped, staring at her hands.
"Kagome….my sweet Kagome…why did you have to die…" he murmured through his tears. Kagome jerked her head up, looking at Inuyasha.
"Why can't he see me? Why can't I touch him?" she thought to herself, the fear mounting in her gut. "Am I dead?"
What? Is Kagome dead? Did Kikyo finally succeed in her quest to destroy Kagome? What will Inuyasha do now? Oh no…what will become of Kagome and Inuyasha? Guess you'll have to read next time! Please read and review! I really appreciate any feedback I get! Till then, my pets. ;)azami